Yarn guide reciprocating apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for reciprocating a yarn guide including a carriage mounted for reciprocating movement on a frame, a pinion wheel rotatably mounted on the carriage, a rack slidably mounted on the carriage meshing with the pinion wheel and having a follower sliding in an elongate track to control movement of the rack to rotate the pinion wheel, and a rack carrying a yarn guide and meshing with the pinion wheel such that rotation of the pinion wheel moves the yarn guide with adjustment of the angular orientation of the elongate track relative to the reciprocating path of the carriage controlling the distance of reciprocating travel of the yarn guide.

Sartori Dec. 11, 1973 YARN GUIDE RECIPROCATING 1 APPARATUS [75]Inventor: Rolland Sartori, Riorges, France [73] Assignee: Ateliers DeConstructions Bourgeas-Fougeirol, Valence,

France [22] Filed: Oct. 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 297,711

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 18, 1971 France ..71 37411[51] Int. Cl. F16h 21/44 [58] Field of Search 74/110, 29; 242/43,

156] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,233,042 7/1917 Foster242/43 1,427,035 8/1922 Taylor 242/43 2,292,725 8/1942 Treckmann....242/43.1 2,705,598 4/1955 Bauer et a1. 242/43 3,198,447 8/1965 ,Harnbach242/43 3,367,197 2/1968 Tabor et al. 74/110 3,696,682 10/1972 Matas .474/110 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 410,418 5/1910 France 74/29Primary ExaminerCharles J. Myhre Assistant ExaminerWesley S. Ratliff,.lr. Attorney-Leonard W. Sherman et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for reciprocating a yarn guide including acarriage mounted for reciprocating movement on a 10 Claims, 5 DrawingFigures 3,777,581 PATENTEDDEC H I975 SHEET 1G? 2 PATENIEUUEB 11 I975 sum2 a; 2

YARN GUIDE RECIPROCATING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Fieldof the Invention The present invention pertains to winding of yarn and,more particularly, to apparatus for reciprocating a yarn guide duringwinding.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art In the textile industry, yarn is wound onsupports by means of a yarn guide which is moved in a reciprocating pathalong the length of the winding support to evenly distribute the yarnwound on the support. The obtention of precise reciprocating movement ofthe yarn guide has presented a problem in the prior art, which problemis compounded by the requirement that the reciprocating path beadjustable or modified for various applications, many times duringwinding of a single yarn bundle.

In U. S. Pat. application Ser. No. 886,214 filed Dec. 18, 1969, now U.S.Pat. No. 3,696,862 apparatus for reciprocating a yarn guide having avariable distance of reciprocating travel is described, such apparatusutilizing a follower travelling along an inclined track or cam tocontrol reciprocating movement between zero and double the movement ofnormal travel directly provided by a carriage. To provide such variabletravel, this apparatus includes a pair of orthogonally disposed rackshaving interengaging inclined teeth such that movement of one of theracksmounted on the reciprocating carriage causes orthogonal movement ofthe other rack which carries a yarn guide. The teeth of the racks areinclined normally at a 45 or greater angle with the angle of the teethof the two racks being complementary. When the track is inclined in thesame direction as the incline of the teeth of the racks, reciprocatingtravel of the yarn guide is reduced; and when the track is inclined in adirection opposite to the incline of the teeth of the racks, thereciprocating travel of the yarn guide is increased. H l

While the above described apparatus provides an effective manner inwhich to control or vary the distance of reciprocating travel of a yarnguide, it has a disadvantage concommitant with the direct meshing of theinclined teeth of the two racks in that the force required to obtain thevariation in reciprocating travel is great due to the friction betweenthe directly meshed inclined teeth.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide apparatus for varying the reciprocating travel of ayarn guide with reduced force.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvementof the apparatus of the above mentioned patent application by providingintermediate pinion meshing with a pair of orthogonal racks.

A further object of the present invention is to utilize orthogonallyoriented racks in engagement with a pinion in apparatus forreciprocating a yarn guide with the racks being resiliently biasedtoward the pinion.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide simplifiedapparatus for accurately controlling the distance of reciprocatingtravel of a yarn guide with a minimum of moving parts.

The present invention has another object in that apparatus forcontrolling the reciprocating travel of a 2 yarn guide is adapted forprogrammed control during winding of a yarn bundle.

Some of the advantages of the present invention over the prior art arethat the apparatus is relatively simple with a minimum of moving partsand therefor is economical and can be operated at high speeds, that theapparatus is simple to mount on a textile machine, that the apparatus iseasily operated and maintained and therefore can be used with varioustextile machines particularly twisting and winding machines as well asall machines requiring a reciprocating yarn guide, that the apparatusprovides precise control, and that the apparatus is easily adapted forprogrammed control of the reciprocating travel of a yarn guide.

The present invention. is generally characterized in apparatus forreciprocating a yarn guide including a frame, a carriage supported onthe frame for movement back and forth along a reciprocating path, apinion rotatably mounted on the carriage, guide means mounted on thecarriage slidably receiving a first rack which engages the pinion, afollower carried 'by the first rack and slidably received in a channelin an elongate track, an adjustment mechanism pivotally mounting thetrack on the frame to permit adjustment of the track in parallel andoblique positions relative to the reciprocating path of the carriage,and a second rack carrying the yarn guide and engaging the pinionwhereby the follower slides along the track to control rotation of thepinion and, accordingly, movement of the second rack and the yarn guideas the carriage is moved back and forth along the reciprocating pathsuch that the distance of reciprocating travel of the yarn guide iscontrolled by the angular position of the track.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description of the preferred embodimenttaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a broken side elevation ofreciprocating apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a broken perspective of the track of FIG. 1 with the followerdisposed therein.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic illustrations of the operation of theapparatus of FIG. 1 with minimum and maximum reciprocating travel of theyarn guide, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a broken section of a modification of the apparatus of FIG.ll.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Apparatus for reciprocating ayarn guide according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1and includes a carriage 10 having ears 12 extending from the cornersthereof to slidably engage a pair of parallel rods 14 and 16 carried bya frame 18. Carriage 10 is moved linearly back and forth along areciprocating path by any conventional means such as a rotating cylinderhaving a helicoidal groove therein receiving a follower fixed to thecarriage.

A pinion wheel 20 has teeth 21 around the periphery thereof and isrotatably mounted on carriage 10 by means of a shaft 22 and suitablebearings such that the axis of rotation of pinion 20 is transverse tothe reciprocating path of carriage 10. At the end of carriage 10 isfixed a guide member 24 U-shaped in cross-section to define a channelextending therethrough having a sliding surface 27 along the bottomthereof. A rack member 28 is received in the channel in guide member 24and has a rear surface 30 sliding on surface 26 in the channel. Rack 28has teeth 32 protruding therefrom to directly mesh with teeth 21 ofpinion 20, and rack 28 is arranged to slide in a path transverse to thereciprocating path of carriage 10 and transverse to the axis of rotationof pinion 20.

A block-shaped follower 34 is mounted on the side of rack 28 and, asshown in FIG. 2, is received in a channel 36 in an elongate track 38pivotally mounted on frame 18 at a position intermediate rods 14 and 16and between the ends of the reciprocating path by adjustment meansincluding a pivot pin 40 and clamping means such as a nut 41 such thatthe track is adjustable to parallel and oblique positions relative tothe reciprocating path of carriage 10. The track 38 operates as a camhaving an adjustable incline such that rack 32 is moved in accordancewith the incline of track 38 due to movement of the follower in thechannel 36 in the track.

A rack member 42 is slidably mounted on a slide bar 44 disposed inparallel relation with rods 14 and 16 and the reciprocating path ofcarriage l and in transverse relation with the sliding path of rack 28,and a yarn guide 46 is carried by rack 42. Rack 42 has teeth 48protruding therefrom directly meshing with teeth 21 of pinion 20 suchthat rotational movement of pinion 20 due to movement of rack 28 causesmovement of rack 42 and, accordingly, yarn guide 46 parallel to thereciprocating path of the carriage 10.

The operation of the yarn guide reciprocating apparatus will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein the reciprocating pathof the carriage has a constant length Lo and the reciprocating travel ofyarn guide 46 ranges from a minimum L as shown in FIG. 3, to a maximum Las shown in FIG. 4. With track 38 disposed at a position parallel to thereciprocating path of carriage 10, as shown in dashed lines at C,follower 34 will experience no movement in the direction of slidingmovement of rack 28; and since rack 28 does not move other than with thecarriage along the reciprocating path, pinion will not rotate and rack42 will be maintained at a central position relative to the pinion 20.Accordingly, the distance of reciprocating travel of yarn guide 46 withtrack 38 at position C corresponds with the length Lo of thereciprocating path of the carriage 10.

When track 38 is adjusted to position A oblique to the reciprocatingpath of carriage 10, follower 34 will be moved upward as the carriagemoves to the right looking at FIG. 3 such that pinion 20 rotatescounterclockwise to move rack 42 to the left toward the center of thereciprocating path. As carriage 10 is moved to the left, follower 34 ismoved downward such that pinion 20 rotates clockwise to move rack 42 tothe right toward the center of the reciprocating path. Accordingly,since the end of travel of rack 42 is moved inwardly at each end of thereciprocating path, the distance L, of reciprocating travel of yarnguide 46 is reduced due to the incline of track 38 in the A position.

Similarly, the distance L of reciprocating travel of yarn guide 46 isincreased when track 38 is adjusted to position B oblique to thereciprocating path of carriage 10 since, looking at FIG. 4, pinion 20will rotate clockwise to move rack 42 to the right as the carriage movesto the right and pinion 20 will rotate counterclockwise to move rack 42to the left as the carriage moves to the left. Thus, the ends of travelof rack 42 are extended at the ends of the reciprocating path toincrease the distance of reciprocating travel of the yarn guide 46.

Thus, during operation, either due to increase in the size of a yarnbundle being wound or due to operation of a suitable control mechanismprovided with a predetermined program, track 38 can be angularlydisposed at any intermediate position between A and B to control thelinear distance of reciprocating travel of yarn guide 46 withoutdeformation, and the oscillation of track 38 about pin 40 permits yarnbundles of varying predetermined configurations to be formed. Thecontrol mechanism for angularly adjusting the track can take anyconvenient form, such as a clamp connected through a link with movablemember, such as a piston, armature, or rotor, of a motor.

A modification of the apparatus of FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 5 toreduce play between rack 28 and pinion 20. The modification of FIG. 5biases the rack 28 toward the pinion 20 by means of a coiled spring 50mounted in compression between a wall of a recess 52 in the slidingsurface 26 of guide member 24 and a piston 52 having an end engaging therear surface 30 of rack 28. The spring 50 provides a constant force onthe rack 28 and its resiliency reduces vibration in the apparatus.

The track 38 can be adjusted to any angular position required to obtainany desired distance of reciprocating travel for the yarn guide due tothe orthogonal relationship between racks 28 and 42, and any suitablerotatable means can be utilized in place of pinion 20, it being ofprimary importance only that movement of rack 28 engage an intermediatemeans which converts the movement of rack 28 to move rack 42 in adifferent direction, preferably transversely. For instance, a number ofinterconnected elements could be utilized to provide the movementconversion; and, while the use of a single element, such as pinion 20,is preferred, the periphery need be toothed only at those areas whichengage the racks and other configurations of pinions could be used. Theengagement between the racks and the pinion is desirably of anon-slipping nature. Thus, toothed engagement is preferred. However,other types of mechanical and frictional engagement can be utilized inaccordance with the present invention.

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many modifications,variations and changes in detail, it is intended that all matterdescribed above or shown in the drawings be interpreted as illustrativeand not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for reciprocating a yarn guide comprising a frame; acarriage supported on said frame and movable back and forth along areciprocating path; pinion means rotatably mounted on said carriage;guide means mounted on said carriage; first rack means slidably receivedin said guide means and engaging said pinion means; a follower carriedby said first rack means; elongate track means having a channel slidablyreceiving said follower; adjustment means pivotally mounting said trackmeans on said frame to permit adjustment of said track means in paralleland oblique positions relative to said reciprocating path; and secondrack means carrying the yarn guide engaging said pinion means wherebysaid follower slides along said track means to control rotation of saidpinion means and movement of said second rack means and said yarn guideas said carriage is moved back and forth along said reciprocating pathsuch that the distance of recip rocating travel of said yarn guide iscontrolled by the angular position of said track means.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said pinion meansincludes a wheel having a toothed periphery, and said first and secondrack means each have teeth engaging said peripheral teeth of said wheel.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and secondrack means are orthogonally aligned.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said pinion means hasteeth projecting therefrom and said first and second racks each haveteeth directly meshing with said teeth of said pinion means.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 and further comprising bias meansdisposed between said guide means and said first rack means for biasingsaid first rack means toward said pinion means.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said guide means includesa sliding surface with a recess therein, said first rack means includesa rear surface sliding on said sliding surface of said guide means, andsaid bias means includes a piston and a coiled spring mounted incompression in said recess between said recess and said piston to forcesaid piston against said rear surface of said first rack means.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said frame includes apair of parallel rods slidably mounting said carriage, and a slide barin parallel relation with said rods mounting said second rack means.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said guide means and saidfirst rack means are disposed transverse to said reciprocating path, andsaid second rack means is disposed parallel to said reciprocating path.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said frame includes aslide bar disposed in parallel relation with said reciprocating path,said pinion means is a toothed wheel rotatably mounted on a shaft havingan axis tranverse to said reciprocating path and said first rack means,said first rack means :is a toothed member directly meshing with saidtoothed. wheel, and said second rack means is a toothed member slidablycarried by said slide bar and directly meshing with said toothed wheel.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 and further comprising springmeans biasing said first rack toothed member into engagement with saidtoothed wheel.

1. Apparatus for reciprocating a yarn guide comprising a frame; acarriage supported on said frame and movable back and forth along areciprocating path; pinion means rotatably mounted on said carriage;guide means mounted on said carriage; first rack means slidably receivedin said guide means and engaging said pinion means; a follower carriedby said first rack means; elongate track means having a channel slidablyreceiving said follower; adjustment means pivotally mounting said trackmeans on said frame to permit adjustment of said track means in paralleland oblique positions relative to said reciprocating path; and secondrack means carrying the yarn guide engaging said pinion means wherebysaid follower slides along said track means to control rotation of saidpinion means and movement of said second rack means and said yarn guideas said carriage is moved back and forth along said reciprocating pathsuch that the distance of reciprocating travel of said yarn guide iscontrolled by the angular position of said track means.
 2. The apparatusas recited in claim 1 wherein said pinion means includes a wheel havinga toothed periphery, and said first and second rack means each haveteeth engaging said peripheral teeth of said wheel.
 3. The apparatus asrecited in claim 1 wherein said first and second rack means areorthogonally aligned.
 4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 whereinsaid pinion means has teeth projecting therefrom and said first andsecond racks each have teeth directly meshing with said teeth of saidpinion means.
 5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 and furthercomprising bias means disposed between said guide means and said firstrack means for biasing said first rack means toward said pinion means.6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said guide means includesa sliding surface with a recess therein, said first rack means includesa rear surface Sliding on said sliding surface of said guide means, andsaid bias means includes a piston and a coiled spring mounted incompression in said recess between said recess and said piston to forcesaid piston against said rear surface of said first rack means.
 7. Theapparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said frame includes a pair ofparallel rods slidably mounting said carriage, and a slide bar inparallel relation with said rods mounting said second rack means.
 8. Theapparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said guide means and said firstrack means are disposed transverse to said reciprocating path, and saidsecond rack means is disposed parallel to said reciprocating path. 9.The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said frame includes a slidebar disposed in parallel relation with said reciprocating path, saidpinion means is a toothed wheel rotatably mounted on a shaft having anaxis tranverse to said reciprocating path and said first rack means,said first rack means is a toothed member directly meshing with saidtoothed wheel, and said second rack means is a toothed member slidablycarried by said slide bar and directly meshing with said toothed wheel.10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 and further comprising springmeans biasing said first rack toothed member into engagement with saidtoothed wheel.